With the arrest of 19 persons and seizure of half a dozen lorries, the police have busted a racket involved in pilferage of high carbon Ferro chrome material worth Rs.80 lakhs booked by two industries for export to Korea.

The Commissioner of Police VSK Kaumudi told reporters on Wednesday that a complaint from GMR Industries, Tekkali and Ferro Alloys Corporation, Garividi, they took up a thorough investigation and nabbed three transporters, nine scrap merchants and six truck drivers. One of the leading scrap merchants in the city, who was the kingpin behind the racket, was also arrested.